US 12,228,867 B2
Toner cartridge including conveyer member rotatable about axis inside casing and shutter rotatable about the axis from closed position to open position
Yuwen Wang, Nagoya (JP); Junichi Hashimoto, Toyohashi (JP); and Takuya Amaike, Iwakura (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on May 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/323,558.
Application 18/323,558 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2021/043644, filed on Nov. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-198511 (JP), filed on Nov. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0297006 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/16 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0886 (2013.01) [G03G 21/1647 (2013.01); G03G 21/1676 (2013.01)] 44 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A toner cartridge comprising:
a casing configured to accommodate therein toner, the casing having a toner discharge opening;
a conveyer member positioned inside the casing and rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction, the conveyer member comprising a shaft extending in the first direction;
a shutter rotatable relative to the casing about the first axis between a closed position where the shutter closes the toner discharge opening and an open position where the shutter opens the toner discharge opening;
a toner coupling rotatable about the first axis and configured to rotate the conveyer member;
a planet carrier rotatable about the first axis with the toner coupling, the planet carrier including a first planet pin extending in the first direction;
a first planetary gear rotatable about the first planet pin relative to the planet carrier, the first planetary gear being rotatable about the first axis in accordance with the rotation of the planet carrier about the first axis; and
a ring gear rotatable about the first axis with the shutter, the ring gear meshing with the first planetary gear,
wherein the first planetary gear is not rotatable about the first planet pin and is rotatable about the first axis with the ring gear when the shutter moves from the closed position to the open position, and
wherein the first planetary gear is rotatable about the first planet pin and is rotatable relative to the ring gear about the first axis in a state where the shutter is at the open position.